Tape drives are used to back up and archive data to magnetic tape. In a tape drive, the data is generally written to the magnetic tape in parallel tracks along a length of the magnetic tape. The writing of the data is carried out using a magnetic tape head that is disposed within the tape drive. The magnetic tape head may include a plurality of bumps including a number of data write elements, or channels, utilized to write the data onto the magnetic tape.
In addition to the data write elements, the plurality of bumps may include a number of data read elements, or channels, utilized to read the data written to the magnetic tape. After the data is written to the magnetic tape via a data write element, a data read element disposed downstream of the data write element in the direction of travel of the magnetic tape may read the written data to verify the accuracy of the written data. In the event errors are detected in the written data, the written data may be corrected or re-written onto the magnetic tape.